Wireless communication systems, such as cellular telecommunication systems, wireless broadband communication systems, and the like, are capable of providing the user several advantages over wireline communication systems. At the least, wireless systems are capable of providing greatly enhanced user mobility while providing access to a large communication network over extensive geographic areas. Additionally, the wireless communication system may facilitate such user access without the usual costs related to cabling and other infrastructure typically associated with connecting each individual subscriber to the network.
With these advantages come some potential challenges, the primary concern often being the provision of acceptable communication signal quality. However, many different technological advances in improving signal quality have been developed. One such advance is the employment of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antenna systems. In a typical MIMO antenna configuration, a base station employs two antennas to exchange communication signals with a user communication device, such as a cell phone or personal digital assistant (PDA), while the user device also employs two antennas, albeit in a more compact configuration. Further, the antenna configuration may often be operated in at least two different modes that address varying environmental or geographic conditions. One particular area of focus in the operation of such an antenna system is the specific circumstances under which each particular mode should be employed, since selection of the “wrong” mode at any particular time may result in unnecessarily reduced communication throughput and customer dissatisfaction.